Boxer Anthony Joshua feared a driving ban was about to derail his career as he made the final preparations for his Wembley showdown with Daniel Dubois, the Standard can reveal.
The 34-year-old was humbled in the ring on Saturday in his IBF heavyweight title contest, hitting the canvass four times before a knockout blow from Dubois in the fifth round.
It can now be revealed that Joshua had pleaded guilty to a speeding charge four days before the bout, and was worried he was about to be stripped of his driving licence.
He blamed the driving offence on “physical and mental fatigue” from a “very intense training camp”, and told the court he needs to drive to get to remote locations for boxing sessions.
Joshua ultimately was ordered to pay £1,167 and did not receive a ban – but he may not have known the sentence before he went into battle with Dubois.
The north London-born pugilist, a two-time heavyweight champion, was the favourite going into Saturday’s match, but was outclassed in the bout and fell to a fifth round blow to his chin.
Court papers obtained by the Standard show Joshua was pulled over by a Sussex Police officer at just after 9pm on May 29 on the A26 in Lewes.
PC Benjamin Dean said Joshua’s Range Rover Vogue was caught on a handheld speed gun going at 44mph through the Cuilfail Tunnel - a 30mph stretch of the road.
“From conducting checks on the driving licence of Joshua, I could see that they had three penalty points on their licence from a previous speeding offence”, he told Hasting magistrates court.
Joshua was served with a prosecution notice at his £1.3 million north London home, and pleaded guilty online on September 17 as his case was dealt with through the Single Justice Procedure.
In a letter of mitigation, Joshua offered “sincere apologies” for the offence and wrote: “I fully accept responsibility for my actions on May 29, 2024 and deeply regret my failure to adhere to the speed limits. I understand the importance of road safety and am fully aware of the potential consequences of speeding, not only for myself but also for other road users.”
He sought to explain the speeding, writing: “My behaviour on that day was not excusable, and I take full ownership of my mistake. I would, however, like to offer some context regarding the situation, not as an excuse, but in the hope that the court may consider it when determining my penalty.
“I am a professional athlete, currently in the middle of a very intense training camp. My schedule has been extremely demanding, and I was traveling to or from a training session at the time and date of the offense.
“The physical and mental fatigue from my training may have clouded my judgment, leading to this lapse in concentration.
“I recognise that such circumstances do not justify speeding, and I deeply regret allowing myself to make this error. I have since made a very conscious effort to be more mindful of my speed and have been adhering strictly to all traffic laws.”
The boxer, an Olympic gold medalist at London 2012 who was awarded an OBE in 2018, has previously talked about adhering to a sex ban during his training camps.
He has vowed not to quit the sport in the wake of Saturday’s defeat to Dubois, which was his fourth career loss in 32 bouts.
Joshua vowed to the court he will be a more responsible driver in future, before setting out his worry about being disqualified from the road.
“I would like to respectfully ask the court to consider the potential impact of extra penalty points, which could lead to a driving ban on my career”, he said.
“As an athlete, I rely heavily on my ability to drive to and from training sessions, which are often at locations that are difficult to my reach.
“While I fully accept any penalty the court deems appropriate, I hope that this consideration might influence the severity of the sanction.
“Once again, I sincerely apologise for my actions and any inconvenience caused. I deeply regret the offence and I am committed to being more responsible in the future and also undertaking any course the court sees fit.”
Magistrate Rosalyn Hayles sat behind-closed-doors last week to sentence Joshua to a £769 fine, with £90 costs and a £308 victim surcharge.
He received four penalty points for his licence, bringing the total to seven.
Single Justice Procedure defendants do not attend their sentencing hearings, and are notified of the outcome in writing.
